Why Chasing the Game That Just Paid Out Is a Waste of Money

This one focuses on the mistake of playing a ticket right after hearing someone else hit big on it.

Stop Chasing Tickets That Just Paid Out

It happens all the time.
You walk into the store and the cashier says, “Someone just won $500 on that ticket.”

Your brain immediately says:
“Wow, that must be a lucky game!”

So you buy it.

The problem?
That “lucky” ticket might be one of the worst plays you could make in that moment.

The Myth of the “Hot” Ticket

In casino games, you sometimes see people chase a machine that’s been paying out, thinking it will keep going.

Scratch-offs don’t work like that.
Each ticket is printed with a fixed number of winners and losers before it’s even shipped to the store.
Once a big prize is claimed, it’s gone — and your odds for the remaining tickets actually just got worse.

Why This Mistake Costs Players

When a store sells a winning ticket, it doesn’t restock the same game right away. That means the remaining tickets in that pack, or even in the store, may now have less prize potential.

If you jump in right after a big win, you’re basically buying into a thinner prize pool.

A Smarter Move

If you hear a game just paid big, skip it and:

• Check the game’s remaining prize list online
• See if the jackpot odds are still worth it
• Put your money into a game with the best top prize ratio's left

This is smart lottery play — avoiding the “just hit” games and going for ones with better opportunity.

Bottom Line

The lottery isn’t about riding “luck.”
It’s about knowing which games have value right now.
When a game just hit big at your store, that’s your cue to walk away and put your money where it still has room to win.